


It Started with…

by ABECrudele



Series: Tales Weaved from Choices [1]
Category: The Evertree Saga
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Fantasy, Gen, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Magic, Multi, Nonbinary Character, Other, POV First Person, Pre-Sordwin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-19
Updated: 2019-08-19
Packaged: 2020-09-06 01:23:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20283076
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ABECrudele/pseuds/ABECrudele
Summary: Kyries never expected their life to be full of bizarre peaks and valleys. It is probably best to start from the beginning.An entry for Thom Baylay's Fanwork Competition for his game, The Evertree Saga.





	It Started with…

> _It started with a glow._

“Sealt! Look!" I heard my mother call out for my father as I felt an odd warmth coming from my fingertips.

My father arrived a few moments later and grinned. “Well, what I tell you, Eindie? One of our kids is bound to have magic in their veins. And in such a young age too!”

He affectionately ruffled my hair and told me, “Kyries, you’re going to be amazing. I just know it.”

> _It started with smoke._

_Why? Why is this happening?_ It was my first thought when I raced back to the home after a night out with my friends. _It shouldn't be any smoke. Why is there smoke?_

Once I reached my house, everything was covered in fire. Nothing was spared.

But I...I could not lose hope. I need to save someone...anyone.

I rushed inside. After a few turns, I finally saw my younger sister, Merveille, trying to pull my father from a fallen beam.

“Kyries…take your sister and go.” My father pleads but they fell into deaf ears. “Kyries, please. Take Merveille and go.”

It wasn’t until the third time when he called my name that I realized the futility of what we were doing.

I grabbed my sister’s arm and dragged her out of our burning house. Once we stepped out, we heard a loud crash amongst the crackling fire.

We looked back to our house and we realized: we were the only ones who survived.

I brought my sister in my arms and told her. “Don’t worry, Mervielle. We’ll get through this. We will.”

> _It started with an opportunity. _

"You should go, Kyries." I stopped stirring the stew when Mervielle told me this. "I think you really should go to Lux. For that scholarship I mean."

I gave a huff and went back to the stirring. While it’s true that we have never felt so alone after the fire, I don’t regret the things I did that got us this far even if Mervielle doesn't approve of them.

On the other hand, while I do appreciate her help by doing some odd jobs in Tyr, I don’t necessarily approve of it. She’s my sister after all; I want her to live a happy and comfortable life, not undergo unnecessary hardship. “Mervielle, I already told you–”

"And I’m saying that you shouldn’t let the moment go by!” Mervielle interrupted me. “Kyries, this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance. Maybe…just maybe! If you help them with whatever they’re researching, maybe you don’t have to work yourself to death! Or steal again and risk everything!”

“Enough, Mervielle!” I shouted back. “I appreciate the concern but I’m doing fine on my own. Besides, if I go, who’s going to be here, taking care of you?”

“I’m not a child! I can do things on my own as well!”

“I know that! But who could I trust in being here for you while I’m miles away? How can I be okay when you’re alone here?” I started to feel like breaking down. “How can I be okay when I can’t be there for you.”

Mervielle’s features softened as she slowly approached and embraced me. “Kyries, thank you for everything you’d done for us. I’m sorry that you have to give up a lot of things for me including your dream of being a druid. You have always put me first and maybe it’s time that you need to put yourself first. I’ll be okay. It would be a bit difficult without you but I’ll be okay. Just trust me.”

I returned the embrace and welcomed the loving feeling I get for it.

Then the smell of something burning ruined the moment.

“The stew!!!”

> _It started with a stay._

After days of traveling to Lux, the appeal of a bed and a home-cooked meal tempted me to stay in an inn for the night.

What I didn’t expect was a night of murder and intrigue, of fighting off living furniture and dueling a vengeful dryad to spare the rest of the guests.

“The Inn is yours as long as you protect and guard the secrets of the Tree,” I told Mrs. Dupree the conditions of the Dryad’s deal after my two companions and I returned from the encounter.

“Thank you, Ser.” She told me with a relieved smile. I turned to Wen and saw the same appreciative smile.

I smiled until my vision started swimming and my body started collapsing.

The next thing I knew, I woke up in the stables and inside Lamuel’s embrace. I smiled and then frowned. I still need to fulfill my promise to my sister, even if it means letting go what I had with Lamuel.

> _It started with a gentle touch._

I woke up, feeling the rays of the sun enter the room.

“Hey, Kyries, are you alright?” I turned to the side and smiled at whom I saw.

“I’m alright, Lamuel,” I replied as I leaned into his gentle touch. “I was just…reminiscing.”

"That's a relief." Lamuel smiles. "I was beginning to worry that you haven’t recovered from what happened three days ago.”

I won’t admit it but my head was still making out with the chaos then. Though, it was all worth it on my end: a family saved, an ally found in a Luxican official, an unexpected yet welcomed approval from fey folk and…

“Regret leaving the inn to be with me?” I teased. He grinned back and answered, “And leave the most amazing elf I’ve met. Never.” He gave me a light kiss before I went off the bed.

“So what’s the plan for today?”

“I’m hoping to write to my sister and–”

A sharp knock on the door caught our attention.

> _It started with a knock._

**Author's Note:**

> i had fun writing this and i'm really happy that Thom enjoyed it. i really hope that you, the readers, will too.


End file.
